A visual metaphor gets an update... Good idea from the past vs. Better idea now. 3 Colors, no specialty inks or methods.

I like the style, not much the design itself, keep subbing!

And what's wrong with berads? This would be a better world if everyone grew beards.

I agree with the above, love your style, but not such a fan of this design. I'm excited to see your stuff in the future.

I third that statement!

Weird. I really like this design. Oh, well, no accounting for taste.

$5

I likey!

nice style!

i like your drawing style! is it about young ppl able to think things differently? if so, its really cool!

Great style, great concept but not so sure about the design. Keep stuff coming though, I hope to see you around for a while.

I had a CFL bulb submission not long ago though, so I'm sort of partial to them.

nice retro cartooning style

I really like your style, and I hope you sub some more!!

jajaja Efficient idea...
Great design...

$5

Nice illi!

I found out recently that those energy saving lightbulbs have mercury in them and because of this, are more harmful to you and the environment when disposed of! Pretty sucky, huh?

You should do a third head with an LED in the thought bubble! They're the wave of the future and are much more energy efficient and environmentally safe to my knowledge...!

And I also agree, I like your style a lot! Keep submitting and I am positive one of your designs will stick!

Very distinctive style, good thinking, nicely executed.

I'm sorry but new light bulbs suck.

They take time to warm up and if you break one a hazmat team has to come to your house.

the government has already wasted too much money on these things.

The shirt is great but i cant support the idea.

Hmmm - they don't take time to warm up. The work just like the old ones, only more efficiently.

Hazmat's kind of a stretch - and I don't think they're made by the government (at least in the US).

It's all good : ) - it was a simple idea. Thanks for the comments, all!

If you don't want your kids to grow up with neurological disorders because of the mercury, you'll want a hazmat (or at least trained professionals) to come clean up after you break one. Look it up.

I like the idea a lot! The lightbulb being the mascot for ideas, it needs an update anyways. All my lights use those bulbs now.

I gotta say, though, if everyone rated this the way you've rated a lot of submissions (1084 scores w/ an average of 1.09), you'll never see this printed. You might want to give a little more love to the other designers - bring your karma up. ;)

The hysterics the Fox News crowd tries to incite over the mercury in CFL bulbs is highly overblown. The EPA has very specific instructions for cleaning up a broken CFL that amazingly don't require a Hazmat team. Don't forget that those old-fashioned tube fluorescent bulbs also have mercury in them and they've been in constant use since the late '30s. If you're at school or work you're probably sitting under one right now, and everyone knows the proper way to dispose of them is to throw them into a dumpster like Zeus hurling lightning bolts. Since tube fluorescents aren't typically thought of as "green" (and therefore something to be mocked and discredited) the conservatives will continue to use them while insisting that CFLs are just another liberal trick to destroy our civilization.


Here's what the EPA has to say about the subject:
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/

Here's a sample--
"Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal below. Please also read the information on this page about what never to do with a mercury spill.

Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room
* Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
* Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
* Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
* Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
* Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
* Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
* Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug
* Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
* Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
* If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
* Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag."


That's a little more than what you'd do for any other broken glass, with the window-opening (for 15 minutes) and fragment-sealing, but it isn't the life-threatening situation some people would have you think. Maybe the EPA isn't cautious enough? Let's see about that. Do you have an old mercury thermometer? Your parents probably used one on you dozens of times. Here's what the EPA recommends if one of those breaks and you can compare the dangers yourself:

" What to Do if a Mercury Thermometer Breaks
*Have everyone else leave the area; don't let anyone walk through the mercury on their way out. Make sure all pets are removed from the area. Open all windows and doors to the outside; shut all doors to other parts of the house.
* DO NOT allow children to help you clean up the spill.
* Mercury can be cleaned up easily from the following surfaces: wood, linoleum, tile and any similarly smooth surfaces.
*If a spill occurs on carpet, curtains, upholstery or other absorbent surfaces, these contaminated items should be thrown away in accordance with the disposal means outlined below. Only cut and remove the affected portion of the contaminated carpet for disposal.

Items needed to clean up a small mercury spill
1. 4-5 ziplock-type bags
2. trash bags (2 to 6 mm thick)
3. rubber, nitrile or latex gloves
4. paper towels
5. cardboard or squeegee
6. eyedropper
7. duct tape, or shaving cream and small paint brush
8. flashlight
9. powdered sulfur (optional)

Cleanup Instructions
1. Put on rubber, nitrile or latex gloves.
2. If there are any broken pieces of glass or sharp objects, pick them up with care. Place all broken objects on a paper towel. Fold the paper towel and place in a zip lock bag. Secure the bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.
3. Locate visible mercury beads. Use a squeegee or cardboard to gather mercury beads. Use slow sweeping motions to keep mercury from becoming uncontrollable. Take a flashlight, hold it at a low angle close to the floor in a darkened room and look for additional glistening beads of mercury that may be sticking to the surface or in small cracked areas of the surface. Note: Mercury can move surprising distances on hard-flat surfaces, so be sure to inspect the entire room when "searching."
4. Use the eyedropper to collect or draw up the mercury beads. Slowly and carefully squeeze mercury onto a damp paper towel. Place the paper towel in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag as directed by your local health or fire department.
5. After you remove larger beads, put shaving cream on top of small paint brush and gently "dot" the affected area to pick up smaller hard-to-see beads. Alternatively, use duct tape to collect smaller hard-to-see beads. Place the paint brush or duct tape in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag as directed by your local health or fire department.
6. OPTIONAL STEP: It is OPTIONAL to use commercially available powdered sulfur to absorb the beads that are too small to see. The sulfur does two things: (1) it makes the mercury easier to see since there may be a color change from yellow to brown and (2) it binds the mercury so that it can be easily removed and suppresses the vapor of any missing mercury. Where to get commercialized sulfur? It may be supplied as mercury vapor absorbent in mercury spill kits, which can be purchased from laboratory, chemical supply and hazardous materials response supply manufacturers. Note: Powdered sulfur may stain fabrics a dark color. When using powdered sulfur, do not breathe in the powder as it can be moderately toxic. Additionally, users should read and understand product information before use.
7. If you choose not to use this option, you may want to request the services of a contractor who has monitoring equipment to screen for mercury vapors. Consult your local environmental or health agency to inquire about contractors in your area. Place all materials used with the cleanup, including gloves, in a trash bag. Place all mercury beads and objects into the trash bag. Secure trash bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.
8. Contact your local health department, municipal waste authority or your local fire department for proper disposal in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
9. Remember to keep the area well ventilated to the outside (i.e., windows open and fans in exterior windows running) for at least 24 hours after your successful cleanup. Continue to keep pets and children out of cleanup area. If sickness occurs, seek medical attention immediately. View information on health effects related to exposures to vapors from metallic mercury. For additional information on health effects, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) provides a Mercury Fact Sheet Exit EPA Disclaimer that also presents information on health effects related to exposures to vapors from metallic mercury.

Recommendation: If there are young children or pregnant women in the house, seek additional advice from your local or state health or state environmental agency. "



Like the one guy said, LEDs are the next improvement.

DYurchuk, come off it. it doesn't matter what a person's rating is. if you honestly base your own scoring method on what a designer's rating score is you are severely biased.
there's a lot of bad designs submitted here and i don't think this guy's score is as off the mark as yours is.

Thanks ginetteginette. I simply rate them as I see them. I usually give a $5 if I think it's something Threadless will print and I'd wear it. I give a $4 if I think they'll print it, but it's not my thing. I give it a 3 or a 2 if the idea is great and the execution isn't quality, or vice versa. A 1 is given if it's got merit, but in my opinion it just won't ever get printed. A zero is for those really bad ones - you know which ones I'm talking about...

I love this design, I wish there was a third person, however, for some reason. I hate symmetry. I would buy this regardless, though. I absolutely love it the more I look at it.

Fluorescent lighting is the next step toward the complete uglification of society. If you're all convinced that your lightbulbs are the real problem, then we're not doing too good.

i'd like it more if the the left side was taken out and only the dude on the right remained. great idea though! i really like it anyway!

I'm strangely attracted to this design and I don't usually this type of design. I think the picture could be a tad bit bigger.

I would like it even if it was just the kid with the new bulb. I think it makes the point you're going for. Maybe it's just the old guys facial hair that's creeping me out.

I baught one of the new bulbs but they suck...
Great design and style.

I like how you made the hair transparent

I don't mind the existence of the new bulbs, but I'm ticked
off that there are some in Congress trying to force us to
use only those bulbs by 2014. If people want to use them, fine.
Just don't make it against the law to use the regular ones.

CSPAN video of a speech by a Congressman against the
new bulbs and against how Congress is forcing them on us

Wow. There are a lot of opinions on these little bulbs. I was not thinking there would be a firestorm of comments from my design.

For the record, they work just like normal bulbs - sometimes better. They are amazingly more efficient. Just like all bulbs and thermometers, it's bad to break one and let your kids or pregnant wife play in the shards. It's also bad if Congress makes us use something we don't want to, even if it means making a significant difference to energy consumption, providing a better future for our kids with neurological problems. Oh and LED lights are better.

JK. I respect everyones opinions. Had I known I might have shelved the design. Thanks for your comments and your vote.

Plus mercury will only hurt you if ingested. I happen to like the bulbs, and the shirt. i find it simple and funny. $4

I like your style and have no comment about the lightbulb ;)

Sorry, didn't mean to make it such a big deal about the CFL bulbs and mercury...! It was just something that I heard recently and was surprised about. But I have heard of some awesome stuff for LEDs like imbedding them in furniture and such... just really different and interesting ideas.

As far as scoring, I completely agree with you, Two Fish. Your rating system is exactly how I score. It would ruin the quality of stuff here if everything got a 5 from everybody just because they want their own submission scored well...

Anyway, looking forward to more submissions from you, Two Fish.
And hopefully I'll get some subs up soon too. I'd love to hear your opinion on them!

That's great idea for a shirt, I would totally buy it

Sweet!